In early 2014, I had a dream where I saw the outside entrance of an underground tunnel on my left. Next, I was walking into this tunnel and I turned around to the left and saw the entrance behind me. As I was walking inside the tunnel, I saw a cave on my left with a man sitting at a desk and working on a laptop computer inside this cave that branched off from inside the tunnel.
What do caves and tunnels mean in dreams? In Biblical dream interpretation, a tunnel commonly represents entering a season of transition where you have limited understanding of what’s happening in your life; a cave represents a “secret place” — a period of isolation or hidden preparation, drawing on Psalm 91’s description of dwelling in God’s secret place. When these symbols appear together across a series of separate dreams over time, they often describe different stages of one ongoing transition, with the surrounding details, such as direction (left or right) and color, adding further layers to the message.
In the Spring of 2014, I had a dream where I was sitting inside a dark cave looking at a hole filled with muddy water and a sump pump in it. Suddenly, a man wearing an orange one-piece suit came up out of the water, completely clean, and he looked directly at me as he was walking towards my left to the exit of the cave. The man looked exactly like the singer (Mac Powell) from the Christian band “Third Day”.
On July 21, 2015, I had a dream where I was standing outside the exit of a mountain highway tunnel that faced to the left. It wasn’t until this third dream that I finally realized this was another series of sequel dreams covering a period of about a year and a half.
Big Picture Evaluation
Now that I’ve had at least two of these types of dreams series, I’m well tuned in to what’s going on and the intended message to me. Let’s take a big picture look at what’s happening here. First, I’m walking into a tunnel and I see someone sitting inside a cave that is branched off in the tunnel. Second dream, I am now myself sitting inside a cave facing away from the entrance and there is a man wearing an orange suit. Third, I’m seeing the exit of a tunnel which oddly faces to the left (notice a trend?)
A few things to point out here. The caves and tunnels did not all look exactly the same. The exact appearance of these is not significant. If you have a series of dreams like this, do not get hung up on whether or not the details are exact from dream to dream. The main point of all dreams is to get the main point! When I first began getting these dreams, I would get all hung up on unnecessary details, especially when I didn’t understand the symbology.
Interpretation?
Now for the symbology. Tunnels can represent going into a time of transition. The cave thing greatly confused me for about 8-10 months and I completely misunderstood what it was all about. Actually, I never even connected the caves in the first and second dreams until I had the third dream! Caves are “secret places”, as in Psalm 91, “he who dwells in the secret place of the Most High…” This is a time of going into isolation as shown by the man sitting alone inside the cave. The additional fact that he was wearing the same type of job-related clothing that I was at that time, was a great tip-off that it was me. Of course, back then, I had no idea what was going on and I missed that clue.
Left and right are also symbolic and in this series, it is very important due to the number of times it repeats. Generally speaking, left can mean doing something based on talents you inherited at birth whereas right can mean stepping out in faith into something new. Left can also be taken straight out of Proverbs 3:16, “riches and honor”.
Orange was a total mystery to me for almost a full year. One day, while outside running in my neighborhood, I noticed road construction equipment parked on a newly built road. It struck me that most of the vehicles were painted orange. Slowly I began to realize that I had been in a process where God was doing “construction” on me to prepare me for my next calling in life. Orange can also mean “fire” as in the refining fire of God (Proverbs 17:3). As of this writing, I have most definitely been through a period of a refining fire where God has been burning out many impurities in a rather uncomfortable period of about a year.
“Third Day” is also highly significant. This is straight out of the Bible and speaks of “resurrection”. God was telling me in advance that He was going to resurrect something in my life. I should point out honestly that as of the time of this writing, I still have no idea what that is.
| Symbol | Common Biblical/Symbolic Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tunnel | Entering a season of transition with limited understanding of what is really going on |
| Cave | A “secret place” of isolation or hidden preparation (Psalm 91) |
| Left (direction) | Can be either doing something based on talents inherited at birth or of the flesh; can also mean riches and honor (Proverbs 3:16) |
| Right (direction) | Stepping out in faith into something new |
| Orange (color) | God’s construction or refining work in a person’s life; can also represent purifying fire (Proverbs 17:3) |
| Third Day reference | A symbol of resurrection — God restoring or bringing back something in a person’s life |
Timing?
I learned a few months ago that there are timing clues in our dreams. Not all dreams have them but there are some that do. Back on March 21, 2015, I had a very short dream lasting only seconds where I saw myself in a dark room trying to sleep on a bed that was only half the length of a normal bed. It was a pretty awkward sight for sure since I couldn’t fit on it with half of me hanging in the air! Immediately after I woke up from that dream, I read an article by Rabbi Jonathan Cahn where he said that this exact date, March 21, was the dead-center half-way point of the current “Shemitah” year (7th year cycle). It just so happens that I have been in a major life transition that began around the time of the beginning of this Shemitah year (September 2014). Apparently, God was telling me that my own personal rest period was half-way over.
This particular timing issue did not appear in any of the cave/tunnel dreams and is another reason why I harp on the need to write down your dreams in a journal and include the date! When I had this half-size bed dream, I didn’t know if it was a personal message concerning my transition period or something else.
Critical piece of knowledge: Shemitahs are sabbath years as stated in Leviticus 25. During this time, the land was to be left alone and nothing was to be planted during that time. We have a similar modern-day concept that comes right out of this Biblical passage called a “sabbatical” but mostly we only hear of someone like a university professor taking a year off. Rarely do we hear of anyone else doing such a thing. I was already aware of this issue with the Hebrew calendar. If I had not studied the Hebrew culture (which nearly the entire Bible is based on), I would have completely missed this critical detail!
I will say, this unplanned and awkward period of my own transition between careers has definitely been a time of personal recalibrating and preparation for my next phase in life with a totally different career. Based on this experience, I do highly recommend that you consider forgetting about any concern over money and take whatever time off you need in order to make a necessary career change. Use wisdom of course and don’t bankrupt yourself, but you will absolutely see that God created this Shemitah concept for your own good.
Do you have questions about the symbols you see in your dreams? Check out these FREE online Bible-based dream symbols lists…
Prophetic Word for You?
- I believe most of my posts are not just about me. The specific details are definitely for me but generally speaking, there are prophetic implications for many others!
- Pay attention to timing clues in your dreams, these may come in many forms which you may not understand at first. When God is getting ready to transition you into something new, He will give you clues about what is coming.
- As you can see from each of these (now three) sequel dream series, there is a logical progression of events which indicate what stage you are currently in. God will give you the dream before the actual circumstances of your life start to look like what He is showing you.
- Your level of Biblical knowledge is directly related to your understanding of your dreams.
- Finally, be encouraged that God is speaking to you! You may be in a time of uncertainty but God is telling you He knows exactly where you are and He has a plan for where He is taking you.
Frequently Asked Questions: Dream Series & Timing Clues
If a dream series repeats a symbol but the details look slightly different each time, does that matter?
No. The exact visual details don’t need to match exactly from dream to dream — the goal of a dream series is to communicate one central message, not to repeat an identical image. Getting overly focused on small inconsistencies can cause someone to miss the bigger picture the series is pointing to.
How do you know if a dream contains a timing clue?
Not all dreams include timing information, but some do, often through unusual or unexplained details that only make sense once cross-referenced with something happening in real life. The best way to discern timing is to keep asking God about the dream and be very careful to pay attention to subtle impressions from the Holy Spirit and real life situations that connect with the dream. Keeping a dated dream journal is essential, since timing clues are easy to miss without a written record to look back on.
What is a Shemitah year, and why would it matter for dream interpretation?
A Shemitah is a Sabbath year described in Leviticus 25, occurring every seventh year, during which the land was intentionally left unplanted and given rest. Recognizing this Biblical concept can help explain why a personal season of rest, transition, or career change might align with a broader Biblical timing pattern.
Does someone’s level of Biblical knowledge affect their ability to interpret their own dreams?
Yes, significantly. Many dream symbols draw directly from Biblical concepts, historical Hebrew culture, or specific verses, so a deeper working knowledge of Scripture generally leads to a clearer and more accurate understanding of what a dream is communicating.
Are personal, detailed dreams like this one only meaningful to the individual who had them?
Not necessarily. While the specific details of a dream are personal, the broader principles and patterns revealed — such as how transition seasons unfold, or how God communicates timing — are often intended to carry a wider, applicable message for other readers as well.
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